You will just have to take my word for it, but this morning I wrote a wonderful long blog on the train to Venice and the @#$//^&&* tablet went into a fug and froze losing all of my wittty words. Damn!
So I am not rewriting it but here is a quck summary whilst I am sitting on the quay at the Ospedale vaporetto station ( water taxi) in Venice waiting to be collected by the owner of the airbnb apartment we have booked here.
So yesterday in Verona we:
- Used the local hire bikes picking up and depositing bikes at various points along the way. Ewan was most unimpressed as they keep a deposit of 150 euros for 30 days just to make sure we haven't stolen them. The bikes were very heavy and difficult to manouevre but I managed to stay upright on the cobblestones, and avoid hitting any cars or tourists.
- Failed as tourists as we only entered two of the four churches vying for the title of oldest, largest, most important etc etc. The two we saw were fascinating as they both had underground paleo-roman chuches on top of which were the more 'recent' medieval and gothic churches. The frescoes and decor in the older churches were simple and primitive, but very beautiful.
- Joined the throng of tourists patrolling the oldest part of Verona around the Piazza Erbe. Lots of small churches, shops, bars, some magnificent bell towers (one 85 metres high!) And lots of apartment buildings with cute balconies. One of these balconies has been dubbed the Juliet bacony and tourists were queued up to get their photo taken with their latest love. There was also a graffiti wall and a wall for love notes to Juliet. For fictional characters Romeo ans Juliet are very present here; we saw signs to Juliet's tomb, and Romeo's house was also listed on the tourist map. Try and make sense of that!
- Scaled the heights of a hill to reach the Castel San Pietro which was closed for renovations but provided some spectacular views across the terracotta rooftops of Verona and the green River Adige.
- Cycled to a medieval castle called Castlevecchio full of medieval artwork and more versions of the Madonna and child than we've ever seen. I loved them but by the end we were on overload!
But by far the biggest adventure of the day was me going to the Lavanderia ( laundromat), which was a long walk from our hotel. At one point I was in danger of becoming totally lost in what appeared to be the Veronese version of the Housing Commission flats. After asking a local who pointed ahead and said "Avanti! Avanti!" (Keep going!) I consulted Gloria (the GPS) and managed to stumble across the laundromat...and I'd only got lost once! A quick trip to the local supermarket totally confused me as I came out a different door, and I couldn't work out where the laundromat had gone. Had to ask another local so I could locate our clothes still spinning in the machine!
After I staggered home, we had some lovely food, including a big plate of vegetables which was a treat, and decided to have a gelato near the amphitheatre on the off chance we could get inside to have a look. Just as we arrived a concert began for an Italian pop group called MODA, and the noise echoing around the amphitheatre was astounding.
Back to home base to pack the bags for the train trip to Venice. Ad then to bed to rest our weary bones.
Thursday 10th October:
The train trip on the Frecciabianca was characterised by the amount of fog blotting out the countryside, and of course the tablet freezing up and losing the blog! But by the time we arrived the weather had cleared and the sun was shining.
Venice is stunning from the moment you step out of the train station and see the first of many canals and beautiful buildings. We bought the Venice card to get into lots of Museums and churches, and a vaporetto card so we could jump on and off the water buses that are the best way to get around. We headed for the Ospedale vaporetto stop and waited to be collected.
It was fascinating watching the passing parade of people with all sorts of disabilies and injuries, and then finally a couple of coffins were wheeled past to be put aboard a boat. We were also right next to the Ambulance station: but forget wheels. Think bright yellow ambulance BOATS with flashing blue lights, loud horns and paramedics dressed in fluoro orange overalls. Very dramatic as they headed off across the water in response to a call. Good luck weaving in and out between the busy water traffic here!
Finally we were collected, which was a blessing because the apartment is in the midst of a maze of tiny alleyways. No map or directions would have succeeded in getting us here! Ewan spent some time trying to get Gloria to locate us just in case we couldn't remember where it is.
It's in the tallest building in Venice joked Carla who led the way. It has seven stories which is more than most buildings which have about five, but it looks just like most of the apartment buidlings here. The apartment is really lovely and modern with a lounge and kitchen and is perfectly located only a few minutes walk from the Grand Canal and all of the action.
Carla also pointed out the the Donna Leon murder mysteries were written in Venice, and provided us with some english versions.Sure enough, when I started one, the action takes place in the street next to us and in the Ospedale, where the bodies are taken. Very quirky!
We settled in and decided to go for a walk towards the Piazza San Marco and the two art galleries funded by billionaire Francois Pinault.
It's hard to get anywhere fast as there is a photo to be taken every few steps. Whilst Ewan was determined not to get lost and kept consulting the map and GPS, I was content to just wander through the alleyways and across the bridges and head in the approximate direction of our destination. We were amazed at how easily we could get around despite the endless maze of alleyways filled with distractions like tiny shops and interesting restaurants.
The Piazza San Marco looked a little the worse for wear from my memory of it: the Duomo is undergoing some restoration. It's still an impressive sight though and we'll return there tomorrow to have a closer look.
The Punta Della Dogana was the first art gallery we wanted to get to, but it was on the opposite side of the Grand Canal to the Piazza and the only way to get there directly is ....you guessed it!.....by gondola! So we paid our 2 euros each and climbed aboard a gondola with 4 americans and two gondoliers. We avoided the flashy gondolas with heart shaped cushions and lots of gold and brocade. They sit fairly low in the water and we didn't feel too stable when other boats went speeding past, but it only took a couple of minutes before we were safely deposited on the other side.
Of course the Venice card didn't give us free access to this private collection Art Gallery (was it worth purchasing we asked ourselves...we will see!). It was a very avant garde gallery with lots of space , great views and ....to be honest, some questionable art. Some of it was weird and some thought-provoking and some just pointless. But each ttheir own!
One of the interesting pieces was a room full of shining large blue glass blobs which I liked, but the description was about the artist exploring homosexuality and it was difficult to see the slightest connection. Ewan, in his usual way, was trying to see how they were made and whether they were concave and was yelled at by the security person. It's the engineer in him: he wants to know how everything is made!
Having managed to get to that side of the Canal we headed for the nearest attraction: the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, which we both loved. She collected lots of modern art and it is now on display in the house she lived in for many years. It included pieces by some well-known artists such as Kandinsky, Klee, Picasso, Warhol and a lovely exhibition of impressionists and neo-impressionists including one very lovely Monet waterlilies painting. It also has a room full of Jackson Pollack's paintings. Ewan was more impressed with the potential value of them rather than the actual works themselves. The gardens had some superb sculptures and there was a really lovely feel about the place. She is buried there, alongside all of her dogs with the dates of their births and deaths on a plaque above them. I told Ewan not to get any ideas for our garden at home!!
By this stage our energy was flagging and, just as the sun was setting, we headed for the vaporetto to get us through the Grand Canal and beyond to our new home.
On the way we looked down a canal towards the open sea to see a HUGE multideck cruise liner sailing away with Italian opera being played at high volume and thousands of passengers standing on deck. The ship towered above the venetian palaces and buildings: such an incongruous sight!
To get some drinks and nibbles we called in at the local supermarket which looks out over the sea, and to Ewan's great joy he discovered that they were selling mens corduroy pants! The only item of clothing they sold mind you! (I can hear you girls groaning on hearing this news, but never fear they seem OK). The last pair he liked were more than $500 in MIlan and these were a mere 28 euros (about $40) so he was pleased with himself. ( He's just come to tell me that apparently they were made in Tajikistan: where the hell is that??)
I'm not sure that was the sort of shopping I was anticipating in Italy, but so far he has done more shopping than me, so I will have to pick up the pace.
We found a nice little trattoria for dinner: salmon ravioli for me and gnocchi with scallops for Ewan. Making the most of the seafood here. Delicious.
So now it's off to bed in our new abode to revive for another day of hectic sightseeing and culture (and shopping!)
Your slightly more cultured correspondent,
Dianne
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